Raven Hair, Ivory Skin: Difference between revisions

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[[File:~~SnowAndApple_1680~~.png|frame|link=http://maevachan.deviantart.com/art/Snow-white-260472873]]

[[File:SnowAndApple 1680.png|frame|link=http://maevachan.deviantart.com/art/Snow-white-260472873]]

{{quote|''"Lips red as the rose. Hair black as ebony. Skin white as snow."''|'''The [[Magic Mirror]]''', ''[[Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (Disney film)|Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs]]''}}

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Dark hair and pale skin as an indication that a character is beautiful. In Western culture, this is a [[Cyclic Trope|once-dead, now reviving trope]], thanks to the [[Goth]] and Retro movements bringing an increased awareness of this and the 1950s pin-up style regaining popularity. In addition, the current vampire fad and the rising fear of skin cancer have helped with the resurgence of this trope. This is also quite popular in Eastern media, being the traditional standard of Asian beauty, and the fact that most of the Japanese population has [[Shiny Midnight Black|black]] or very dark [[Brainy Brunette|brown]] hair helps. The [[Chiaroscuro|high contrast]] also makes for a striking and visually appealing appearance.

Commonly a requirement for the [[Yamato Nadeshiko]] type and is also known as the Yamato Nadeshiko look. In fact, a [[Raven Hair, Ivory Skin]] [[Yamato Nadeshiko]] is a stock character for the [[Harem Genre]].

Commonly a requirement for the [[Yamato Nadeshiko]] type and is also known as the Yamato Nadeshiko look. In fact, a '''Raven Hair, Ivory Skin''' [[Yamato Nadeshiko]] is a stock character for the [[Harem Genre]].

There is crossover between this look and [[Eerie Pale-Skinned Brunette]], in the form of attractive [[Goth~~|Goths~~]], [[Vampires Are Sex Gods|beautiful vampires]], and other characters who manage to be both creepy and beautiful.

There is crossover between this look and [[Eerie Pale-Skinned Brunette]], in the form of attractive [[Goth]]s, [[Vampires Are Sex Gods|beautiful vampires]], and other characters who manage to be both creepy and beautiful.

Contrast [[Eerie Pale-Skinned Brunette]], where this look is seen as, well, ''eerie'', and [[But Not Too White]]. Compare [[Dark-Skinned Blond]], its visual inverse.

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== Anime & Manga ==

* ''[[Sayonara, Zetsubou-sensei|Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei]]'': Kiri Komori and Itoshiki-sensei are both seen as this.

* ''[[Black Jack]]'': one episode featured a strong example of ~~this -- Souno~~, a [[Yamato Nadeshiko]] young girl from an old and rather traditional Japanese family, who had been kept indoors all her life due to suffering form a debilitating disease that would cause her life to drastically shorten if she was exposed to sunlight (as well as killing her off before she turns 18 even if she avoids it). She's spent most of her life in a sealed room, practicing Ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arrangement, under the watch of her very severe [[Overprotective Dad]]; thus, Souno is perfectly pale, with perfectly black hair, and a perfectly exquisite face...a beauty in a bottle. (Remember, the "Nadesico" part of [[Yamato Nadeshiko]] refers to a particular type of ~~flower -- probably~~ a deliberate parallel in this case.) Fortunately, Doctor Blackjack is there to ~~help -- along~~ with his [[Cheerful Child|lively assistant]], Pinoco, who strikes a really cute [[Intergenerational Friendship]] (sorta) with Souno and gives her the courage to get the treatment she needs.

* ''[[Black Jack]]'': one episode featured a strong example of this—Souno, a [[Yamato Nadeshiko]] young girl from an old and rather traditional Japanese family, who had been kept indoors all her life due to suffering form a debilitating disease that would cause her life to drastically shorten if she was exposed to sunlight (as well as killing her off before she turns 18 even if she avoids it). She's spent most of her life in a sealed room, practicing Ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arrangement, under the watch of her very severe [[Overprotective Dad]]; thus, Souno is perfectly pale, with perfectly black hair, and a perfectly exquisite face...a beauty in a bottle. (Remember, the "Nadesico" part of [[Yamato Nadeshiko]] refers to a particular type of flower—probably a deliberate parallel in this case.) Fortunately, Doctor Blackjack is there to help—along with his [[Cheerful Child|lively assistant]], Pinoco, who strikes a really cute [[Intergenerational Friendship]] (sorta) with Souno and gives her the courage to get the treatment she needs.

* ''[[Mahou Sensei Negima]]''

** Negi is awestruck when he accidentally spies on Setsuna in the bath, because of her incredibly pale skin and raven-black hair. Chamo even refers to her as a [[Yamato Nadeshiko]] due to her looks! {{spoiler|She later turns out to be a [[Heroic Albino]]; her hair is dyed to fit in better.}}

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{{quote|''... there she stood, raven-haired and violet-eyed, snowy fair and finely fit, as if carved by the gods from a solid block of desire.''}}

* The ''[[Gemma Doyle]]'' Trilogy's Pippa is renowned for her beauty and fits this trope to a T.

* [[J. R. R. Tolkien|JRR Tolkien]]'s use mixes [[Author Appeal]] and, presumably, Celtic notions of beauty, since the Celts ([[Flanderized]] as [[Fiery Redhead~~|Fiery Redheads~~]]) were actually mostly dark-haired and apparently regarded this as the ideal, so most of Tolkien's most important beautiful characters are dark-haired, pale-skinned, and have [[Gray Eyes]]. Particularly notable examples include Luthien from ''[[The Silmarillion]]'' and Arwen from ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''.

* [[J. R. R. Tolkien|JRR Tolkien]]'s use mixes [[Author Appeal]] and, presumably, Celtic notions of beauty, since the Celts ([[Flanderized]] as [[Fiery Redhead]]s) were actually mostly dark-haired and apparently regarded this as the ideal, so most of Tolkien's most important beautiful characters are dark-haired, pale-skinned, and have [[Gray Eyes]]. Particularly notable examples include Luthien from ''[[The Silmarillion]]'' and Arwen from ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''.

* ''[[Romance of the Three Kingdoms]]'': the Qiao sisters were this, and the book plays up that part of the reason Chi Bi happened was that Cao Cao was after them because of this trope.

* The titular characters of [[Edgar Allan Poe]]'s ''Berenice'' and ''Ligeia''.

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== Video Games ==

* In ''[[Persona 4]]'', Yukiko Amagi is seen as this and gathers quite a fan club because her looks.

* If someone in ''[[Fire Emblem Elibe|Fire Emblem 7]]'' is about to describe a Morph, there's likely three features to be mentioned: "1. Pale skin, 2. Hair like ebony<ref> but it really looks purple</ref>, and 3. [[Eyes of Gold]]". Sonia was actually made to be beautiful and to seduce Brendan Reed.

* If someone in ''[[Fire Emblem Elibe|Fire Emblem 7]]'' is about to describe a Morph, there's likely three features to be mentioned: "1. Pale skin, 2. Hair like ebony,<ref>but it really looks purple</ref> and 3. [[Eyes of Gold]]". Sonia was actually made to be beautiful and to seduce Brendan Reed.

* In ''[[Sengoku Basara]]'', we have Oichi (who was a certified [[Real Life]] example) and her sister-in-law, Nouhime.

* Setsuka in ''[[Soul Series|Soul Calibur 3]]''. She's actually a natural blonde, however; she dyes her hair to fit in, in Japanese society.